o keepe



2 Sheets Sheet 2.

J. OKEEFE.

GRATE.

(No Model.)

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN OKEEFE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE EXCELSIORMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,886, dated April24, 1888. Application filed J nne 6, 1887. Serial No. 240,394. Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN OKEEFE, of St.Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in Grates, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The improvement has relation to the grate of a stove, and the particularfeature of the grate is the mode of constructing and operating itsmovable center, substantially as is hereinafter described and claimed,and exhibited in the annexed drawings, making part of this specificationand presenting the most desirable mode of carrying out the improvement,

in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a stove having theimproved grate, the section being on the line 1 1 of Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is abottom view of the grate, the view including the parts immediatelyconnected with the grate. Fig. 3 is a detail, being a vertical sectionon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail, being a vertical sectionon the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a central vertical section ofthe grate in position in a stove whose outline is indicated in brokenlines.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

The grate belongs to that class having an outer annular portion, A, andan inner central part, B. The portion A is upheld upon the projections cof the grate-ring O, which in turn, by means of the legs 0, rests uponthe supports D of the stove-frame. The center B, as it is generallycalled, is attached and upheld by means of its arm 12, which at b ispivoted to a bearing, 0 which is attached to or made part of thegrate-ring O. The bearing projects downward and inward from its point ofattachment to the grate-ring, and it is slotted at c to permit of theend of the arm 1) extending through the bearing, as shown in Fig. 2. Inconsequence of the arm 12 bearing down upon the bearing 0 at b andupward against the bearing at 0*, the center is upheld beneath theopening a in the annular part of the grate, and by reason of the slot 0being elongated horizontally, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, thecenter B can be swung around so as to close the opening a, as shown inthe full lines, Fig. 1, or so as to be at the side of the opening a, asindicated by the broken lines, Fig. 2. The spaces b" between the bars bof the center are preferably left open at b, as thereby the liability ofthe center becoming clogged is diminished and the center more easilyswung upon its pivot, and it may be said a prominent advantage derivedfrom the above-described mode of supporting the grate is being able toswing it readily to and fro to close and open the opening a, asdescribed.

The adjustment of the center B is preferably effected by means of therod E, which at its inner end, 6, is pivoted to the center, and thenceextends outward to without the shell of the stove, substantially asshown. By drawing and pushing the rod, as indicated by the full and thebroken lines 6, Fig. 2, the opening a is opened and closed. The rodEworks through a slotted bearing, e, in the shell of the stove, and iscapable of being moved sidewise, as indicated by the broken lines e,Figs. 1, 2, for the purpose of shaking the grate, to which end theannular portion Aof the grate has an arm, a, which extends outward fromthe grate and is shaped at a to engage in a slot, 6*, in the rod E. Bythis means the rod E, whether it is pushed inward to entirely close theopening a or is partly or wholly drawn outward, so as to cause theopening a to be partly or wholly opened, can be used to agitate thegrate, as well as to operate its center B. I desire, however, not to berestricted to the rod E in operating the center B by itself.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to slot the shaker-bar of a gratein the direction of its length.

I claim 1 1. The combination of the ring 0, the slotted bearing a, andthe center B, having the arm I) pivoted to and extending through saidbearing, as described.

2. The combination of the ring 0, the slotted bearing. 0 the annularportion A, the center B, the arms I) a, and the rod E, slotted at e,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the ring 0, the slotted bearing 0, the center B,having the arm b, pivoted to and extending through said bearing, the rodE, slotted at e, and the arm a engaging therein, whereby the grate canbe agitated and the center can be drawn out and swung around,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 12th day of May, 1887.

Witnesses: JNO. OKEEFE.

O. D. MOODY, A. M. EVERIST.

